The present invention relates to a multipurpose necktie with a neck portion, a tie portion, and a front apron. The tie portion may be looped to form a knot. A multipurpose necktie as used herein is also understood to include a cravat or long necktie, a neck cloth, or even a kind of scarf, provided the cut of same changes over their length.
Normally, neckties comprise a tie portion, a neck portion, and a front apron. It is not necessary that same exhibit a clear separation from one another. Preferably, the tie portion is looped to form a knot in such a manner that a portion of the front apron covers with its free end the projecting length of the neck portion. Thus, the selection of the necktie material and the configuration of the front apron essentially determine the decorative appearance of the necktie. However, both the configuration and the selection of the necktie material are not arbitrary. In the manufacture of neckties, the material may not be embroidered or designed as desired, for example, be made of lace. This would not support a possibly traditional further processing of a necktie material. On the other hand, the selection of the necktie material is likewise restricted in that requirements exist that result from the use of a finished necktie. These requirements are, for example, longevity, ruggedness, tying quality, washability, and/or pressability. As a result, it is possible that optical quality may become insignificant in the selection of a necktie material. A further restriction of a necktie results from stylish ideas, which ultimately permit for certain areas or occasions only different configurations of a long necktie. While festive occasions require a rather modest form of a necktie, neckties with colorful, in part even loud designs are preferred in particular in the area of leisure-time activities. In addition, likewise the taste as regards styling a necktie changes in the course of time. This change imparts to a necktie an only limited usable life. Known are neckties with exchangeable individual components. DE 88 17 058 U1 discloses a necktie, wherein at least the front apron is exchangeable. EP 0 579 972 discloses a long necktie of a length that is composed of different, combinable individual sections. These individual sections may have different designs and/or patterns. Likewise, DE 92 06 006 U1 discloses a multipart necktie with a front apron consisting of different, but combinable portions. Between these portions it is possible to hide a cleaning cloth for glasses. In comparison therewith, FR 73 37 114 shows a necktie wherein a front apron can be inserted into a neck portion.
Furthermore, DE 69 13 333 discloses a cravat of the kind of a long necktie with two layers of necktie material. Same form each a display surface, and both display surfaces are in part joined to each other at the edge of the necktie. By unfolding one of the two display surfaces, the other one is exposed. Another kind of a multipurpose use is shown in FR 25 93 680. The long necktie shown therein is described a surprise necktie, since its front apron can be unfolded for removing a bow tie from a thus-formed space.
FR-A-846 674 discloses a long necktie, which has to free ends. One is the end of the front apron, the other is the end of the neck portion of the long necktie. It a tied condition, both ends can overlie each other such that none the two ends can be moved against each other. To this end, the narrower end of the neck portion is overlapped by a freely foldable flap of the front apron and secured to same. This is to avoid that the narrower end of the neck portion becomes visible, when the front apron dislodges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,992 discloses again a multipurpose necktie that permits a variety of tying possibilities of the long necktie, namely both as a cravat and, for example as an Ascot. To this end, the long necktie consists of a neck tying portion and a square of fabric attached thereto. The fabric of the square may be folded depending on the desired form of the multipurpose necktie.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a necktie, which is capable of serving several purposes, and provides by itself different styles. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a suitable method of using the multipurpose capabilities of the necktie with the inclusion of different styles of the necktie.